Ashfur's Redemption Revised
by Ospreywing
Summary: In order to prove that he is worthy of StarClan, Ashfur must watch over ThunderClan as a spirit who can walk among his fellow Clanmates. However, the only cat who can see him is Hollyleaf. Can he cope with the memories of his past? And how can he reveal his secret?
1. Chapter One: Prologue and Allegiances

**I decided to rewrite Ashfur's Redemption, which I first wrote when I was 14 over the summer. I originally wrote it on my PC before it crashed and I had to save this story onto a flashdrive. Then I decided to rewrite it.**

**From the title, it's safe to say that this story will be focused on Ashfur. It will also have some viewpoints from Hollyleaf and her siblings later on. However, it will mostly focus on Hollyleaf.**

**The plot is set in between Long Shadows and Sunrise, so there are major spoilers for those two books.**

**I've always been fond of Ashfur's character. While he didn't do good things near the end of his life, he was a good cat once, he just went down the wrong path. The relationship potential he could of had with Hollyleaf has fascinated me, leading to me rewriting this story****. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.**

**The Warriors series is the property of Erin Hunter and HarperCollins publishers. It does not belong to me.**

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><p><span><strong>Chapter One: Prelude and Allegiances<strong>

Ashfur sauntered along the edge of the WindClan border, deep in his thoughts. The earth underneath his paws was slightly damp, for it was still soaked from the storm. Everything was still, the only thing that created sound was the bubbling stream close by.

It was the night of a Gathering, _the _Gathering, where he could finally get revenge on the she-cat who had ruined his heart.

_Squirrelflight. _

Ever since the ginger warrior was an apprentice, Ashfur had been charmed by her bold and fiery spirit, the spirit of a true warrior. She was the daughter of his leader, the famous Firestar. But one day, she and Brambleclaw has mysteriously vanished. When they returned to the Clans moons later, it was obvious that Brambleclaw had claimed Squirrelflight's heart.

But then, it seemed that StarClan had favored him. Brambleclaw discovered that he had a half-brother who lived in RiverClan. Squirrelflight, angry at him for choosing Hawkfrost over her, turned to him. Then the badgers attacked. That was when Squirrelflight tossed him aside like a piece of rotten freshkill for Brambleclaw, the son of Tigerstar, the cat who had murdered his mother as bait for a dog pack to destroy ThunderClan. The cat Ashfur once admired when he was an apprentice.

What had he done wrong? Why didn't Squirrelflight choose him? The gray tomcat pondered those two questions- but he couldn't come up with a reasonable answer. The only other cat who could was Hawkfrost- the dark tabby seemed to understand _everything_, but Brambleclaw had killed him. Ashfur didn't regret the day- he had even tricked his own apprentice, Birchpaw, just to lure Firestar into the RiverClan tom's trap, but it had been worth it, and it would have been worth much more if Hawkfrost succeeded.

Moons later after Hawkfrost's death, he found salvation in the form of Whitewing. She was intelligent, calm, and milder than Squirrelflight ever was. The snow-white she-cat completed him.

Ashfur continued to think about his past, mostly trying to find the moment he had done something to make Squirrelflight choose Brambleclaw over him as he padded along the border, quivering with suspense.

''I'm doing the right thing,'' he murmured to himself, gazing up at the countless stars that dotted the sky above him. They glimmered with their pale, whitish-silver light. If StarClan didn't want him to unveil Squirrelflight's secret, they would have sent clouds to cover the moon. But the night sky was unusually clear. Ashfur could picture the Gathering in his mind; Squirrelflight's horror, the Three's shame, Brambleclaw's fury that his mate had lied to him for such a long time, and ThunderClan's shock.

_Excuse me, _he would cough loudly to excuse himself, _but Squirrelflight has just told me that she's been lying to entire family for moons and they her ''kits'' don't even belong to her. _Then Squirrelflight, if she didn't confess who the kits belonged to, would hopefully be exiled, but at the very least dishonored.

Ashfur felt he didn't need to love her anymore anyway. This was his revenge- he didn't need to love her to feel whole. Squirrelflight had broken his heart and hadn't even noticed. She deserved everything she has coming.

He closed his eyes, stopping beside the river and sitting down to listen to its faint churning. He couldn't help it-he just kept imagining Squirrelflight's pain. The tom was so engrossed in his own excitement that didn't notice the sound of the pawsteps behind him, only the whistling of wind and ruffling of his fur as something lunged at him.

''_Die_!'' his attacker hissed, although their voice sounded damaged and feeble.

''Get off!'' Ashfur snarled, rearing onto his hind paws. No cat was going to get in the way of his vengeance! He threw the strange cat off of himself and heard a grunt of pain from his assailant as they hit the ground. Before they had a chance to recover, he whirled around to see who it was, and nearly fell over with astonishment.

''Hollyleaf!'' he exclaimed, taking a step towards her. Her green eyes were wild and her long fur was messy. She looked as if she hadn't slept in moons. However, her claws were sheathed- why? ''What do you think you're doing?''

''You can't tell everyone!'' the black she-cat wailed, rising to her paws. ''Not until we find out who are real parents our, anyway. You can't do this do Brambleclaw.''

''I feel nothing for Brambleclaw!'' Ashfur snapped. ''This is for Squirrelflight. Now, stay out of my way Hollyleaf. You can't stop me from going to the Gathering.'' Keeping his claws sheathed as well, he swiped Hollyleaf over the head with his forepaw, knocking her to the ground. _Just stay calm. _he ordered himself. _She's stupid. She won't get in your way again or you'll...you'll have to kill her_.

''You can't!'' Hollyleaf screeched from behind him. He heard her pawsteps once more. Ashfur tensed, but before he could move he felt the black warrior's weight on his back and her teeth in his neck.

''Help!'' Ashfur tried to yowl, but he was finding it difficult to breathe, and there was also the fact that his throat was beginning to bleed. The sable-furred she-cat still had her fangs locked in the gash on his throat, but it felt odd- like she was nipping at him, like he was prey. Was that what Hollyleaf thought of him? Did she see him as wa dim-witted animal that wasn't worth her time? Why was she trying to kill him so quickly?

''I hate Squirrelflight as much as you do Ashfur,'' Hollyleaf whispered, bounding off of him as he stopped struggling under her grasp. He sunk onto the ground with a moan of pain, his crimson blood staining the gray fur on his throat and chest. ''But..You can't...'' her eyes were misty. She couldn't seem to finish her sentence.

''Can't _what_?'' Ashfur growled quietly. ''You're pathetic Hollyleaf. You're-''

''Shut up!'' Hollyleaf suddenly shrieked. She shoved him, although he was already down. ''Just shut up.''

''Are you going to live a lie for the rest of your life?'' he sneered up at her. Black spots were beginning to swarm his vision as death came closer.

''No! I just...'' The ebony-furred she-cat trailed off. She look more confused than anything, but Ashfur couldn't care less. She could rot too, with her brothers and Squirrelflight. ''I'm sorry..I didn't.. mean to, I...'' He glared in her general direction, unable to see very well due to the darkness creeping over his vision, ready to snarl at her. Before he could Hollyleaf abruptly grabbed Ashfur by his scruff and dragged him along the soil. To his surprise, he felt cool water lapping at his gray coat, and Hollyleaf set him halfway in the stream.

''What are you doing?'' he croaked weakly. Was she going to drown him as well?

''No one can find your body Ashfur,'' Hollyleaf sounded as if she was choking on her words like they were a tough piece of freshkill that was hard to swallow, but the look she gave him was vivid with hatred. ''So I have to put you here. You'll go downstream, to the lake, and then you'll be gone for good...'' The black warrior was washing the blood off her paws in the water as she spoke, as if she was telling him something casual and not how she was disposing his body.

Ashfur didn't reply to her. Instead of malice, he just felt cold. The icy feeling was creeping up his tail tip and toes and spreading through the rest of his dying body like fire through a forest. His blood continued to flow out from where he was bitten, but it wasn't staining the water around him. It was mixing with the churning stream, the one he would be in soon.

To his own surprise, Ashfur had no final thoughts. All he could think of was how Hollyleaf had ruined everything- how he would never get to see the pain of Squirrelflight's face, or the abhorrence she would suffer from her mate, Brambleclaw. The other Clans' hatred too, for her lies. He had lost.

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><p><em>Allegiances<em>

**ThunderClan**

**Leader:** Firestar- handsome ginger tom with green eyes

**Deputy:** Brambleclaw- dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Medicine cat:** Leafpool- light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes (Apprentice, Jayfeather)

**Warriors**

Squirrelflight- dark ginger she-cat with green eyes (Apprentice, Foxpaw)

Dustpelt- dark brown tabby tom

Sandstorm- pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

Cloudtail- long-haired white tom with blue eyes

Brackenfur- golden brown tabby tom

Sorreltail- tortoiseshell and white she-cat with amber eyes

Thornclaw- golden brown tabby tom

Brightheart- white she-cat with ginger patches

Spiderleg- long-limbed black tom with a brown underbelly

Whitewing- white she-cat with green eyes (Apprentice, Icepaw)

Birchfall- light brown tabby tom

Graystripe- long-haired gray tom

Berrynose- cream-colored tom with half a tail

Hazeltail- small gray and white she-cat

Mousewhisker- gray and white tom

Lionblaze- golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Hollyleaf- black she-cat with green eyes

Cinderheart- gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Honeyfern- light brown tabby she-cat

Poppyfrost- tortoiseshell she-cat

**Apprentices**

Jayfeather- gray tabby tom with sightless blue eyes

Foxpaw- reddish brown tabby tom

Icepaw- white she-cat

**Queens**

Ferncloud- pale gray she-cat with darker flecks and green eyes

Daisy- long-haired cream she-cat from the horseplace (Mother of Spiderleg's kits: Toadkit- black and white tom and Rosekit- dark cream she-cat)

Millie- silver tabby she-cat, former kittypet (Mother of Graystripe's kits: Briarkit- dark brown she-cat, Bumblekit- pale gray tom with black stripes, and Blossomkit- tortoiseshell she-cat with white patches)

**Elders**

Longtail- pale tabby tom with black stripes, retired early due to blindness

Mousefur- small dusky brown she-cat

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><p><span><strong>ShadowClan<strong>

**Leader:** Blackstar- white tom with huge jet-black paws

**Deputy:** Russetfur- dark ginger she-cat

**Medicine cat:** Littlecloud- very small tabby tom (Apprentice, Flamepaw)

**Warriors**

Oakfur- small brown tom (Apprentice, Tigerpaw)

Rowanclaw- ginger tom

Smokefoot- black tom (Apprentice, Owlpaw)

Ivytail- black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat (Apprentice, Dawnpaw)

Toadfoot- dark brown tom

Crowfrost- black and white tom (Apprentice, Olivepaw)

Kinkfur- brown tabby she-cat with fur that sticks out at all angles

Ratscar- brown tom with long scars (Apprentice, Shrewpaw)

Snaketail- dark brown tom with a tabby-striped tail (Apprentice, Scorchpaw)

Whitewater- white she-cat with long fur, blind in one eye (Apprentice, Redpaw)

Tawnypelt- tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

**Apprentices**

Owlpaw- light brown tabby tom

Scorchpaw- dark gray tom

Olivepaw- tortoiseshell she-cat

Shrewpaw- gray she-cat with black paws

Redpaw- mottled brown and ginger tom

Tigerpaw- dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

Flamepaw- ginger tom

Dawnpaw- cream-colored she-cat

**Queens**

Snowbird- pure white she-cat

**Elders**

Cedarheart- dark gray tom

Tallpoppy- long-legged light brown tabby she-cat

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><p><span><strong>WindClan<strong>

**Leader:** Onestar- brown tabby tom

**Deputy:** Ashfoot- gray she-cat

**Medicine cat:** Barkface- short-tailed brown tom (Apprentice, Kestrelpaw)

**Warriors**

Tornear- tabby tom with a torn ear

Crowfeather- dark gray, almost black tom with blue eyes

Owlwhisker- light brown tabby tom

Whitetail- small white she-cat

Nightcloud- black she-cat

Gorsetail- very pale gray and white she-cat with blue eyes

Weaselfur- ginger tom with white paws

Harespring- brown and white tom

Leaftail- dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes (Apprentice, Thistlepaw)

Dewspots- spotted gray tabby she-cat (Apprentice, Sedgepaw)

Willowclaw- gray she-cat (Apprentice, Swallowpaw)

Antpelt- brown tom with one black ear

Emberfoot- gray tom with two dark paws (Apprentice, Sunpaw)

Heathertail- light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Breezepelt- black tom with amber eyes

**Apprentices**

Kestrelpaw- mottled gray-brown tom

Sunpaw- tortoiseshell she-cat with a large white mark on her forehead

Swallowpaw- dark gray she-cat

Thistlepaw- long-haired white tom

Sedgepaw- light brown tabby she-cat

**Elders**

Morningflower- tortoiseshell she-cat

Webfoot- dark gray tabby tom

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><p><span><strong>RiverClan<strong>

**Leader:** Leopardstar- spotted golden tabby she-cat

**Deputy:** Mistyfoot- gray she-cat with blue eyes

**Medicine cat:** Mothwing- beautiful golden tabby she-cat (Apprentice, Willowshine)

**Warriors**

Blackclaw- smoky black tom

Voletooth- small brown tabby tom (Apprentice, Minnowpaw)

Reedwhisker- black tom

Mosspelt- tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes (Apprentice, Pebblepaw)

Beechfur- light brown tom

Rippletail- dark gray tabby tom (Apprentice, Mallowpaw)

Graymist- pale gray tabby she-cat

Dawnflower- light gray she-cat

Dapplenose- mottled gray she-cat

Pouncetail- ginger and white tom

Mintfur- light gray tabby she-cat (Apprentice, Nettlepaw)

Otterheart- dark brown she-cat (Apprentice, Sneezepaw)

Pinefur- very short-haired tabby she-cat (Apprentice, Robinpaw)

Rainstorm- mottled blue-gray tom

Duskfur- brown tabby she-cat (Apprentice, Copperpaw)

**Apprentices**

Willowshine- gray tabby she-cat with green eyes

Minnowpaw- dark gray she-cat

Pebblepaw- mottled gray tom

Nettlepaw- dark brown tabby tom

Robinpaw- tortoiseshell and white tom

Copperpaw- dark ginger she-cat

Mallowpaw- light brown tabby tom

Sneezepaw- gray and white tom

**Queens**

Icewing- white she-cat with blue eyes (Mother of Beetlekit- brown tabby and white tom, Pricklekit- gray tom with spiky fur, Petalkit- white she-cat with gray patches, and Grasskit- light brown tabby tom)

**Elders**

Heavystep- thickset tabby tom

Swallowtail- dark brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

Stonestream- gray tom

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><p><span><strong>Cats of StarClan<strong>

Bluestar- blue-gray she-cat with icy blue eyes

Lionheart- magnificent golden tabby tom with thick fur around his neck

Yellowfang- old dark gray she-cat with a broad, flattened face

Whitestorm- large white tom

Spottedleaf- beautiful dark tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

Brindleface- pretty gray tabby she-cat, Ashfur's mother

Shrewpaw- small dark brown tom

Larchkit- brown tabby she-cat

Hollykit- light gray she-cat with yellow eyes

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><p><span><strong>Cats of The Place of No Stars<strong>

Tigerstar- massive dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Darkstripe- sleek black and dark gray tabby tom

Hawkfrost- dark brown tabby tom with ice-blue eyes

Brokenstar- long-haired dark brown tabby tom with a oddly crooked tail

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><p><span><strong>Cats That Are in Neither StarClan or The Place of No Stars<strong>

Ashfur- pale gray tom with darker flecks and blue eyes

**Cats Outside Clans**

Sol- tortoiseshell and white tom with pale yellow eyes


	2. Chapter Two: Meeting with StarClan

**Chapter Two: Meeting with StarClan**

The last thing Ashfur felt before death took ahold of him was cool touch of the stream that Hollyleaf had placed his dying body in. When he opened his eyes, he found himself within a void of odd black mist, the same mist that surrounded sinful cats when they died. The mist eventually vanished, giving way to what appeared to be a forest.

It was a peculiar sight, for it resembled no forest he had seen when he was alive. One half of the forest was lush and sunny while the other side contrasted it completely, it was dark and withered. On both sides of the woodland, he saw feline-shaped figures materialized from stardust and shadow- watching him intently. He saw famous faces: Bluestar, Lionheart, Whitestorm, and the old medicine cats of ThunderClan such as Spottedleaf and Yellowfang. Among the starry cats Ashfur spotted his mother Brindleface and his nieces and nephew; Larchkit, Hollykit, and Shrewpaw.

Ashfur felt a pang of happiness at the sight of his mother. She looked so much different from when he had last saw her, her body blood-soaked and lifeless. Here Brindleface was healthy and clean, her gray tabby coat glimmering with stardust. She padded over to her son to greet him. ''Welcome my son,'' the gray tabby she-cat meowed, her voice placid and tender. Ashfur felt safe and warm near Brindleface, he could almost picture himself as a kit laying close beside her in the nursery.

''There he is!'' Shrewpaw exclaimed. He raced across the green grass on StarClan's side of the forest to meet him, followed by Larchkit and Hollykit, who struggled to keep up with their brother. The two sisters looked drastically different from when they had died in the old forest from starvation and the bone-chilling temperatures of leaf-bare. ''Shrewpaw, wait!'' Larchkit cried as tried to keep up with her brother and sister. ''You're going too fast!'' The three young cats stopped near Ashfur and sat down beside their grandmother. ''Hollykit stop it!'' Shrewpaw yowled as his sister pounced on his twitching brown tail. He pulled it away from her and coiled it around his paws.

Ashfur glanced over at the shadowy side of the forest and saw Tigerstar, Brokenstar, Hawkfrost, and the ghostly silhouettes of countless creatures; their eyes glowing brightly in the darkness. It only took him a few moments to realize by their small, lithe frames that they were cats. Among the residents of the Place of No Stars, he spotted his father Darkstripe who was sitting next to Tigerstar. The tabby tomcat was denied entry to StarClan for trying to murder Sorreltail when she was a kit by feeding her deathberries and for betraying ThunderClan. He was killed by half-brother Graystripe during the battle with BloodClan in the forest. Darkstripe was gazing at him intently with a strange emotion in his eyes, one that Ashfur couldn't read.

Did he know that Ashfur was his son? Probably not, for he never talked to Brindleface while she was alive and pregnant. Darkstripe was too busy with following and idolizing Tigerstar to spend time with his family. He probably didn't know that his kits belonged to him, or even _existed_. Ignoring the growing resentment Ashfur had for his father, he focused on Brindleface. She was still sitting before with Shrewpaw, Larchkit, and Hollykit at her side.

Bluestar was padding towards the four cats, and the residents of StarClan trained their eyes on the blue-gray she-cat. She looked magnificent with her long-haired coat flickering with the ashen light of stars and the powerful gleam in her azure eyes. The former ThunderClan leader sat down to face him, her eyes vivid with sorrow. The cats of StarClan pricked their ears as she began to speak, their eyes now focused on the tomcat who sat before her.

''Ashfur,'' Bluestar meowed. ''You have sinned. However, you have sinned for just poor reasons, loving a she-cat who did not return the favor. Therefore, StarClan is giving you only one chance to right your wrongs.'' Both sides of the forest fell quiet for a brief moment, staring at Ashfur and Bluestar with great interest.

''This should be interesting,'' Tigerstar murmured under his breath. ''I wonder how this will unfold.''

''Ashfur!'' Hawkfrost yowled. The gray tomcat looked over at the shadowy cats who inhabited the Place of No Stars. ''Don't listen to her! If you still want to get revenge on Squirrelflight come to me- I mean us.'' He flicked his tail, and several cat created from darkness materialized from thin air. Their numerous eyes shone with an eerie light as they closely observed Ashfur.

That was when his mother spoke up. ''Ashfur!'' Brindleface cried, her voice shrill with fear. ''Don't listen to him! Just focus on Bluestar.''

The cats of StarClan glanced quickly at the two cats and whispered among each other. Bluestar subsequently raised her tail to silence the babbling cats on both sides of the woods. Ashfur gazed at Brindleface and Hawkfrost. _Revenge, _he thought, but the word sounded foreign to him. Was that what he wanted now? The gray warrior briefly glanced over at his mother, whose eyes were wide with anxiety.

_Ask yourself this, _he told himself. _What would Ferncloud do in a situation like this? _At the same time, Ashfur wondered if his sister knew that he had died.

''You will be invisible to any Clanmates except for your killer,'' Bluestar continued when the cats had become silent again. ''You can walk among your Clanmates and say your final goodbyes.'' Some of the shadowy residents of the Place of No Stars groaned in annoyance and anger when they realized that StarClan was trying to persuade Ashfur to join them when he finished his quest for atonement.

Suddenly, Tigerstar began to speak. ''If you don't stop your killer,'' he meowed. ''Then she will destroy the Clans by revealing that wretched secret her mother has been keeping for moons.''

Ashfur looked at Tigerstar in bewilderment. ''But how do I know who killed me?'' he asked. ''It was dark and I couldn't see anything!''

Brindleface stood up. She walked towards him, her green eyes filled with misery. ''My son,'' she meowed. ''This will all be revealed to you. I have gained permission from Spottedleaf to walk beside you, guiding you, so that you may not stray from the right path. However, you may not be able to see me, for I shall be as undetectable to you as you are to ThunderClan.''

Ashfur pressed his nose into his mother's starry coat and nodded. ''I'll do it. But what if I fail?'' The cats became silent once again, the stillness swallowing the forest whole.

Bluestar then answered his question with a patient tone. ''Then you will be banished to the Place of No Stars to roam with Tigerstar and Hawkfrost.'' The cats of StarClan murmured between each other, while Darkstripe snickered to himself. Shrewpaw and his sisters approached their uncle to say goodbye to him.

''Bye Ashfur!'' Shrewpaw said. ''Good luck!'' his two nieces said, pressing their tiny noses into his gray-flecked pelt.

The voices of Larchkit and Hollykit were the last things Ashfur heard before he became engulfed by black mist again, returning to the world of the living.

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><p><strong>Since Ashfur and Ferncloud's father is never mentioned, I always thought Darkstripe was their father. It could be plausible, seeing that he probably had a one night stand with Brindleface and left her when he became pregnant. Even if Darkstripe did stay with her, it's highly likely that he would not care about his kits with Brindleface, for he would be too busy idolizing and following Tigerstar. But who knows, really?<strong>


	3. Chapter Three: Return to ThunderClan

**Thanks for the reviews for the past two chapters! I highly appreciate it!**

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><p><span><strong>Chapter Three: Return to ThunderClan<strong>

When the black mist disappeared, Ashfur found himself looking at the dead body of a cat. They had teeth marks on their throat and their gray coat was slightly ruffled yet clean. Their blue eyes were hazy and expressionless, fixed on the night sky above. With a jolt of realization, Ashfur noticed that the cat he was looking at was himself, and he was at his vigil ceremony. The tomcat spotted his sister Ferncloud, his former apprentices Birchfall and Lionblaze, and many other cats he had known when he was alive. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Ashfur saw a young black she-cat. She was gazing intently at his lifeless body with a terrified look in her emerald eyes, which only meant one thing.

She must have killed him.

He would have never believed it, if the truth hadn't been staring at him directly in the face. Ashfur flicked his tail so Hollyleaf could know that _he _could see her as well, which frightened her even more. Hollyleaf swiftly turned away from him and dashed into the warrior's den. When she had gone, Ashfur padded over towards Ferncloud to sit beside her. Sitting next to his sister was Whitewing, his second love.

She was slightly round, but the inference did not register with him until he saw her mate Birchfall looking at her with a mixture of pride and affection in his eyes. Whitewing was pregnant. She was ignoring her mate though. Whitewing stared at her abdomen with a blend of worry and a strange emotion that Ashfur couldn't comprehend. What was she thinking about? Ashfur also noticed that the white she-cat was sitting far away from the brown tabby warrior.

Whitewing was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice him approaching her. Birchfall sat down beside his mate and licked her ear. ''You shouldn't be worrying,'' he murmured softly to her. ''Stress is bad for the kits.'' She exhaled loudly and entwined her fluffy snow-white tail with his.

Across from the young couple, Ashfur spotted Jayfeather, the sightless medicine cat apprentice of ThunderClan and Hollyleaf's brother. _I wonder if he can see me too. _Ashfur wondered to himself. He was sitting beside Leafpool, his mentor and Squirrelflight's sister. Did Leafpool know what had happened during the fire in the hollow? Did she know who Hollyleaf, Lionblaze, and Jayfeather's real parents were?

He was sitting underneath the highledge when he saw Hollyleaf emerging from the warrior's den, her eyes bright with anxiety. Ashfur looked calmly at her and she skidded back into the warrior's den once more. _She seems to be afraid of me, _he thought. _I wonder why? _Since Hollyleaf was ignoring him, Ashfur wondered what he should do next. He walked away from the warrior's den and sat down underneath the highledge.

The cats who were mourning him the most were his sister Ferncloud and her four kits, Spiderleg, Birchfall, Foxpaw, and Icepaw. Ferncloud was crouched next to her fallen brother's body, her mint-green eyes bright with sorrow. Her mate Dustpelt wrapped his tail around his grieving mate and drew her closer to him.

''It will be okay Ferncloud,'' Dustpelt murmured to her. Ashfur was shocked by how gentle he sounded. Dustpelt was one of the most quick-tempered cats in ThunderClan, and he had a tongue that was sharper than a badger's teeth. Despite her mate's comforting words, Ferncloud's spirit was still heavy with grief. Ashfur watched his sister with expressionless eyes, silently pitying her. He suddenly heard Firestar bounding on top of the highledge and giving a loud caterwaul that resonated throughout the stone hollow. The living cats of ThunderClan turned their heads in the direction of their leader's yowl.

''Cats of ThunderClan!'' Firestar meowed. ''It is a tragedy that Ashfur has died, but we can not greif him forever. He was a fine warrior and he will be remembered for many moons to come. We will right this injustice for ThunderClan by searching for the cat who has brought his demise.'' When Firestar finished his speech, he flicked his tail to signalize the meeting's end and leapt down from his perch on the highledge.

The cats were now whispered among each other, wondering and speculating who had killed their Clanmate.

''Ashfur was a good warrior. Why would someone want him dead?''

''Do you think a WindClan cat killed him? After all, his body was found on their border.''

''I don't think so. It might have been a passing rogue.''

''I totally bet that weird cat called Sol killed him. He's a shady one, he always looks as if he's up to no good!''

Ashfur's ears pricked at the name Sol. Who was this cat? Was he the one who killed him? It was hard for him to think due to the discordant murmurs of his former Clanmates. So he stood up and walked away from his spot underneath the highledge, sneaking between Honeyfern and Poppyfrost before reaching the gorse tunnel that led outward into the forest of ThunderClan's territory. When he had reached his destination, Ashfur glanced over his shoulder at the group of cats, hoping that they wouldn't notice him leaving the camp. That was when the gray tom remembered he was invisible to them, with the exception of Hollyleaf. He hoped that she didn't see him leaving camp.

When he had exited the gorse tunnel, Ashfur found himself in the woods of ThunderClan's territory. The trees looked the same, except their leaves were turning shades of red, orange, and yellow and falling from their branches. The ground underneath his paws was cold and hard, reminding him that it was mid to late leaf-fall. It felt strange to be back in his home of tall, leafy trees.

Ashfur walked through the forest, the fallen leaves crunching under his paws. A cool breeze ruffled his gray coat, making him shiver. Leafbare was quickly approaching. In the distance, Ashfur caught a glimpse of the lake that the Clans had settled around. It was twilight, and the lake's stone-gray water had a bright orange hue as the sun set into the horizon. The setting sun had painted the sky the same orange color.

As Ashfur walked along the lake, he suddenly caught a faint whiff of Brindleface's sweet scent. A feminine voice seemed to say, ''_Watch over Hollyleaf and guide her..._'' Even though he had no prior intention of doing that, Ashfur knew that he must obey his mother's commands. He would become Hollyleaf's moral compass, her sense of right and wrong.

Plus, the gray warrior realized something else. He would need a place to sleep for the night. The sun had set, and night was drawing closer. Remembering his home territory, Ashfur thought of the numerous old rabbit holes that littered the WindClan border. He headed off towards there. Ashfur found a suitable hole and crawled into it, waiting for dawn to arrive. He curled up in the abandoned burrow and closed his eyes.

When Ashfur awoke, he found himself in a vast meadow. The grass was lush and verdant in contrast with the living world, where plant life was brown and withering due to brisk temperatures. Everything was eerily silent and seemed to be frozen. Ashfur wondered where he was. On the horizon, he could see.._._a lion? No, lions has golden-brown coats. This strange feline had a long-furred pelt of black, brown and white. They seemed to approaching him, their coat outlined by an overcast sky.

Suddenly, this cat was standing before Ashfur, gazing at him intently with expressionless golden eyes.

''_A sinner on a quest to atone for his sins_,'' the cat seemed to say, but their jaws were not moving. ''_Interesting_.'' The cats voice was in Ashfur's head. Was this what Sol looked like? He was mesmerized by his powerful gaze, which seemed to have captivated him. The only thing Ashfur seemed to see and hear were Sol's eyes and voice.

''_Love is a very powerful and dangerous weapon,_'' Sol's voice resonated through Ashfur's mind. ''_It can destroy families and even take lives_.'' The tortoiseshell tom flicked his tail, and a small pool of water materialized between the two cats. In the water, Ashfur could see a gray cat with their paws stained with blood with the lifeless body of a familiar ginger she-cat in front of them. With a jolt of realization, Ashfur noticed that the two cats were him and Squirrelflight.

''_This is the path you could have taken,_'' Sol continued. ''_You could've killed that she-cat to get back at her mate, and then you could have laid waste to her kits_.''

''They aren't her kits though,'' Ashfur replied. Suddenly, Sol's eyes showed emotion, which was surprise. ''_And who are their parents_?'' Sol asked.

''I don't know,'' he answered. ''Squirrelflight never said who they belonged to.''

''_Looks like we'll just have to wait and see_,'' Sol meowed. ''_I'm looking forward to meeting you again_.'' The pool of water vanished and everything faded to black.

When morning came, Ashfur awoke and left the old rabbit burrow he had slept in for the night. _Why was I dreaming about Sol? _he asked himself. _What does he mean to me? _He then spotted a black cat climbing a steep hill in WindClan territory, their dark coat outlined against the pale sky. It was Nightcloud, the she-cat who had taken Crowfeather as a mate. Ashfur just barely heard her prayer to StarClan as it passed his ears…

_Please StarClan, let Crowfeather love me and Breezepelt for real, not just because he needs the Clan to trust him…._

Ashfur could tell from the prayer that this one was said _very _often. He pitied Nightcloud, but there was nothing he could do to help her. It was time to go see Hollyleaf. The gray tomcat left the moorland and raced towards the forest of ThunderClan.

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><p><strong>This the the longest chapter so far, and I'm very proud of it. As you can see, Sol is very interested in Ashfur. Sol will be a secondary character along with Lionblaze and Jayfeather, with Ashfur and Hollyleaf being the main protagonists. Just a little note to clear up confusion.<strong>


	4. Chapter Four: Hollyleaf

**This chapter features a new viewpoint: Hollyleaf's! Enjoy!**

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><p><span><strong>Chapter Four: Hollyleaf<strong>

Ashfur walked towards the gorse tunnel. He slipped past the dawn patrol, which consisted of Lionblaze, Sorreltail, Dustpelt, and Berrynose to where Mousefur and Longtail were picking up his body to bury it. He just heard an excerpt of their conversation about how he was such a ''nice cat'' and ''who would want to kill me?'' If only they knew! The gray-flecked tom crept past them and into the warrior's den, where Hollyleaf was sleeping. He nudged her gently to wake her up.

The first thing Hollyleaf saw when she woke up were the blue eyes of Ashfur. She felt a jolt of horror as she realized that the cat she had killed to hide the truth about her real parents was sitting directly in front of her. Yet, for some reason, there was no anger or resentment in his eyes, only peacefulness. Why? Shouldn't he be angry at the cat who took his life? Hollyleaf was very confused. Ashfur mouthed for her to follow him before he turned and dashed out of the den.

Ashfur heard Hollyleaf's pawsteps behind him as they passed the medicine cat's den, which was a small cave in the high stone walls that surrounded ThunderClan's camp. A familiar scent entered his nostrils as Jayfeather emerged. Ashfur felt the eerie feeling of his sightless eyes as he passed by. Somehow, the blind medicine cat could sense his presence. _Can he see me too? _Ashfur hurried out into the forest as he heard Jayfeather stop his sister.

Hollyleaf froze as she heard Jayfeather call her name. She knew he was her brother and that she had no reason to be afraid, but the deed she had committed was making the black warrior wary of her Clanmates.

''Hollyleaf! Where are you going?'' he called. She stopped and looked over her shoulder.

''Oh, I'm just going hunting,'' she replied. Hollyleaf knew that Jayfeather would know that his sister was lying, but he dismissed it. Subsequently, she followed the path Ashfur had taken into the woods.

Hollyleaf was following him. It was a cool afternoon in late leaf-fall, and the withered leaves crunched under Ashfur and Hollyleaf's paws as they padded through the forest. Finally the chance would come to talk to her, to find why the black she-cat had him when when his life was finally going in the right direction. Ashfur stopped and inhaled deeply, hoping to find a trace of Brindleface's scent. He picked up nothing, and his fears rose. _What if I'm doing the wrong thing? _He thought nervously, silently panicking when Hollyleaf walked into the small clearing he has chosen. She sat down to face him, her fluffy black tail coiling around her paws.

''What are you doing here?'' she asked, her voice timid.

Ashfur sighed loudly. ''Oh, after you _killed _me, StarClan just _couldn't _decide whether I was worthy enough to join them, so I am here to make sure you choose the right path so I can go to StarClan and not be stuck with the cat who killed my mother for eternity. So if you have _any _ideas on how to do that, please tell me now so I can get out of this half-life, since StarClan decided they weren't going to help me at all.'' he ranted to her with faint frustration in his voice.

Hollyleaf was greatly bewildered. ''I'm so confused Ashfur!'' she exclaimed. ''I mean, what exactly is going on here?''

''Be quiet!'' Ashfur hissed. ''Do you want every cat in ThunderClan territory to hear you? You need to keep your voice down!'' She was shocked by Ashfur's stern tone. He was usually a calm, quiet cat. That was, until he attacked his own apprentice, Lionblaze.

Hollyleaf sighed. She was trapped in a state of existential crisis and anxiety. Being constantly followed around by Ashfur's spirit was only rubbing more salt into the wound. The black warrior forced herself to calm down. ''Okay,'' she meowed. ''I'll help you.''

How was she supposed to help him? The gray tom had tried to murder Hollyleaf and her brothers and expose their secret to the Clans. But the look in his azure eyes convinced her. He was so miserable.

''But are you sure no one will help you?'' she inquired.

''My mother is here, but she is invisible to me as I am to ThunderClan,'' Ashfur responded.

''What if I reveal the fact that I killed you? The Clan is talking about going after Sol,'' the black she-cat said.

Ashfur looked confused. ''Sol? The loner who convinced ShadowClan to abandon their faith in StarClan?'' He remembered the strange tortoiseshell tomcat who resembled a lion from a dream he once had. Was that the cat ThunderClan was so eager to find?

''Yes, him.'' Hollyleaf replied.

''That could work. It would save ThunderClan from going on another pointless journey,'' Ashfur commented. ''But you would probably be exiled from the Clan. If we can find the identities of your true parents, we could reveal everything at once.''

Hollyleaf's green eyes suddenly widened and the fur on her back and tail increased in size. ''I don't want to find my true parents. They obviously didn't want me in the first place!'' she wailed. Then she realized that she had been away from her Clanmates for a long time. ''I need to get back to camp,'' she meowed. ''They'll be wondering where I am.''

Ashfur watched the black warrior leave. He was soon alone in the twilight forest, listening to the last twittering of songbirds before they retreated to the safety of their nests for the night and faint lapping of waves from the lake as they met the shoreline. The flecked tomcat stood up and raced through the forest until he found the Sky Oak. He quickly climbed it and sat on one of its huge, mighty branches. If Ashfur was closer to the night sky, maybe then he would feel the guidance of StarClan.

Bluestar's voice drifted to his ears: _Nice try Ashfur, _she meowed. _I'm sorry, but you must do this yourself._

Whitestorm's voice subsequently followed hers: _I am proud of you, always remember that._

Feeling discouraged by the fact that his warrior ancestors refused to help him, Ashfur walked to the end of the branch he was perched on. Then he jumped.

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><p><strong>Aren't cliffhangers just lovely? I really enjoyed writing this chapter, especially Hollyleaf's viewpoints. She's fun to write about, because she's so expressive and her character has so many conflicting traits.<strong>

**Don't forget to review! Your feedback is important to me and I would greatly appreciate it!**


	5. Chapter Five: The Moonpool

**Thanks for seven reviews and three followers. I strongly appreciate it!**

**Blazingheart- Ashfur was a good cat. He just went down the wrong path near the end of his life.**

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><p><span><strong>Chapter Five: The Moonpool<strong>

Ashfur expected his for his life to end as he plummeted from the branch, but instead he glided down and landed softly on his paws. This was odd. Shouldn't a fall from something so high kill him? He had such fun that he climbed the colossal tree again and bounded down a second time. As the gray tom climbed the Sky Oak for the third time, he heard Tigerstar's voice resonating in his ears. _Fooling around will only bring you closer to me…_ he murmured.

At the sound of his sinister voice, Ashfur scrambled down the tree. Then he raced towards ThunderClan camp, hoping to find Hollyleaf. When he arrived, she was nowhere to be seen. However, her brother Jayfeather was. As Ashfur quickly passed his den for the second time, the blind medicine cat swiftly walked outside and through him.

It was at this moment that Ashfur learned that he could not only hear StarClan's prayers, but he could enter the minds of _living _cats. It was surreal being inside Jayfeather's subconscious, for everything was an incomprehensible maze of thoughts and images that seemed to have no beginning or end. Not only was he blind, but he could sense the emotions of other cats around him. The gray warrior removed himself from Jayfeather's thoughts and ran for the forest. Ashfur could feel his curiosity at what had just happened. In fact, he was still shocked about it.

As he continued running, he found himself on a worn path. As he sniffed the air, he could distinctly smell the herbal scents of the medicine cats: Littlecloud, Mothwing, Willowshine, Barkface, Leafpool, Kestrelpaw, and Jayfeather. Ashfur suddenly realized that he was near the Moonpool. Out of curiosity, he followed the path. The gray-flecked tom wondered why there were paw prints embedded in the soil when the Clans hadn't been living around the lake long enough to make them. _Could there have been cats living here before we came? _he wondered. _What if they came back?_

Then he saw the Moonpool. It was a pool of water that was fed by a small waterfall that entered the crystalline water. In the light of the half-moon, it looked gorgeous and gave up a mystical aura. Ashfur was so captivated by its beauty that he temporarily lost the ability to speak. The pool was the most beautiful thing he had seen in moons. He padded down to the water's edge and took a step. The pristine water was cold, yet it warmed his forepaw. The gray tomcat took a taste of the water (completely forgetting that he was not a specter) and everything faded to black. When the darkness faded, he found himself in a forest that was covered with snow. Ashfur shivered as a frosty breeze ruffled his fur, chilling him to the bone.

Suddenly, he saw two she-cats in the distance- one orange, the other a pale brown tabby. Ashfur quietly approached them, hoping that they wouldn't notice him. However, his gray coat would do very little to camouflage him in the snow from their view. The tabby she-cat lay on her side on the snowy earth, her amber eyes wide with pain. Her abdomen was extremely swollen, and Ashfur inferred that she was in the final quarter-moon of her pregnancy. Her kits shifted fiercely in her womb, and she winced as another contraction entered her body. Squirrelflight sat closely beside her, her bushy ginger tail wrapped around her stomach. ''_Just stay calm and breath Leafpool_,'' she whispered. ''_The first one should be here any moment now_.'' Her sister panted heavily as the fetuses twitched inside her, making her grimace.

Squirrelflight placed a paw on her sister's distended abdomen, feeling the kits fidget within her. ''_I think the first one is coming_,'' she meowed. Leafpool cried out in pain as the first kit slithered out from her womb and onto the ground. The ginger she-cat nipped open the amniotic sac encasing it, revealing a tom with fluffy golden fur. She licked him vigorously, surrounding him with her body heat to shield the newborn tom from the frigid temperatures of leaf-bare. Squirrelflight lifted him by his scruff and placed him at the tabby she-cat's swollen belly, where he kneaded her for milk. Leafpool gazed down at the little tom, her eyes filled with affection. ''_How many are left_?'' she asked.

Her sister placed her single white forepaw on her midsection. ''_Two_,'' she replied. ''_The second one should be here any minute now_.'' Leafpool yowled in agony as her abdomen convulsed again, and a second amniotic sac slid out from her uterus. Squirrelflight carefully nipped the sac open, exposing a tiny bundle of black fur. She gazed intently at the little kit she was sheltering from the cold. Ashfur immediately recognized the tiny sable-furred she-cat as Hollyleaf. It was strange to see her as a newborn kit instead of the cat who had killed him. Squirrelflight licked her fiercely to warm her up and placed her beside her brother. Leafpool gritted her teeth to hold back a cry of pain that was rising in her throat. Then, the last kit slithered out from her body, landing on the frozen ground. Her placenta followed the third kit, sloshing out behind it. Squirrelflight then buried the discarded organ in the icy soil.

As Ashfur watched the light brown she-cat give birth, a jolt of realization came to him. Leafpool was the one who had become pregnant with kits, and the one who always showed love and concern for Lionblaze, Hollyleaf, and Jayfeather. And her sister Squirrelflight was helping her give birth to them. He looked around the snow-covered forest that the two she-cats were in, trying to find the father of brown tabby she-cat's kits. Although Ashfur searched deeply for him, he was nowhere to be found. If Leafpool was apparently pregnant, who was the father of her kits? _But Leafpool is a medicine cat. She should have been forced to step down from her position for bearing kits._

The fleshy, pink membrane encasing it was carefully opened, unveiling a gray tabby tom. He was smaller than his two siblings, and was possibly the runt of their litter. Squirrelflight gingerly lifted him by his scruff and placed him beside his brother and sister. Leafpool drew the three newborn kits closer to her with her tail, and they began to feed from her. She released a long breath of relief. The birth had left her exhausted. ''_Congratulations Leafpool_,'' Squirrelflight said. ''_You're now the mother of three healthy kits. Two toms and one she-cat_.'' Leafpool gazed affectionately at her newborn children, but she knew that she could not keep them.

He yellow gaze rested on her first son, who was the largest of his litter. His downy golden coat gave him the appearance of a lion. Leafpool knew that he was the strongest of his siblings, for he was the one who kicked and fidgeted the most inside her during her pregnancy. ''_How about Lionkit for him_?'' Squirrelflight suggested. ''_That's a nice name_,'' Leafpool answered. ''_It reminds me of Lionheart, one of the cats who told me about the prophecy_.'' Then Leafpool looked closely at her only daughter. Her eyes had a peculiar emotion that Ashfur couldn't read. ''_Her name will be Hollykit_,'' she declared, resting her striped tail tip on her tiny sable body. Leafpool's amber eyes darkened as if she was picturing a dark future for Hollykit. He heard her prayer to StarClan as it drifted past his ears.

_StarClan, please watch over Hollykit and guide her so she doesn't take the wrong path._

Squirrelflight rested her orange tail tip on the gray tabby tom, who was still anonymous. ''_What about this one_?'' she meowed. ''_He needs a name_.''

''_He will be Jaykit_,'' Leafpool finally said. As she looked at her newborn kits, she felt a pang of melancholy in her heart. She loved them greatly, but she couldn't be their mother.

The the bone-chilling temperatures of leaf-bare disappeared, and were replaced by intense heat. The harsh odor of smoke hung thickly in the air, and Ashfur found himself in ThunderClan's stone hollow. Lionblaze, Hollyleaf, and Jayfeather were surrounded by fire that formed a blazing wall around them. Their faces were vivid with terror, for they were trapped like mice before a snake struck its serrated fangs into its flesh. Flames moved wildly in the smoky hollow and Ashfur watched their chaotic dance. He was later facing Squirrelflight, whose green eyes were shining with an intense light. ''_If you want to hurt me, you'll have to find a better way than that_,'' she meowed. ''_They are not my kits_,''

The final scene was one Ashfur knew all too well. He was standing at the river on the WindClan border when Hollyleaf attacked him. The gray-flecked tom remembered the last moments of his life so vividly that he could feel Hollyleaf's fangs piercing his throat and the cool touch of water as she placed his dying body in the stream. The last thing he saw where her emerald eyes that were bright with hatred.

It was dawn now, but the medicine cats were still deep in their slumber. Ashfur jolted awake, stupefied by what he had just seen. Suddenly, everything made sense now. Then a small, cat-like shape materialized in front of him. It was his mother Brindleface. Her voice whispered gently to Ashfur, echoing in his head. _Learn how to use the knowledge you have been granted. It was no coincidence that you came to the Moonpool. You needed to know this. _

Brindleface brushed up against her son, fading into stardust as she left.

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><p><strong>Dang, that was one heck of a chapter. Ashfur finally knows who killed him. The scene where Leafpool gives birth to and names her kits was the longest part of the chapter, and I'm very satisfied with how it turned out. It seems as if the pieces of the puzzle are slowly coming together for Ashfur, and (possibly) Hollyleaf. Anyway, don't forget to review.<strong>


	6. Chapter Six: A Secret Revealed

**Chapter Six: A Secret Revealed**

Ashfur sat by the stream at the WindClan border and gazed at the rushing water as it flowed downward. He was still stunned from his visions at the Moonpool. The pieces of the puzzle were slowly coming together. It was _Leafpool_ who was the mother of the Three and the one who gave birth to them, not Squirrelflight. It was also Hollyleaf who had killed him, not Sol or a WindClan cat that ThunderClan believed. Realizing that he was doing nothing but sitting around, Ashfur rose to his paws and began to dash towards the ThunderClan border. He raced as far as his gray paws could carry him to wherever Hollyleaf's scent was. _I know how to right the wrongs_.

Hollyleaf exited the warrior's den, stretching her legs and letting the sun warm her black pelt. She looked around camp for any signs of Ashfur, only to find that he was nowhere to be found. The black she-cat released a breath of relief. Hopefully, the days of Ashfur's spirit following her were over. Maybe she had just been imagining his ghostly presence. Hollyleaf hoped that she would never see the gray tom again. She was currently in an existential crisis, and being stalked by the spirit of Ashfur was only rubbing more salt into the wound.

Cinderheart padded up to her, her blue eyes bright with cheerfulness. ''Hey Hollyleaf!'' she meowed. ''Do you want to go hunting with me and Poppyfrost?'' Hollyleaf gazed into her friend's azure eyes before answering her question.

''No thanks,'' she meowed. ''I would prefer to go by myself.''

''That's fine,'' Cinderheart replied. Hollyleaf waved her tail in goodbye to the tabby she-cat before walking away towards the gorse tunnel. She left the tunnel leading inward to camp and padded out into the forest. It was a strangely clear day for late leaf-fall. The sky overhead was an enormous blue canvas, not a single cloud blemished it. The black she-cat parted her jaws to taste the air for prey and dropped into a crouch. She crept silently through the woodland, her belly pressed up against the countless dead leaves that littered the forest floor.

Hollyleaf silently crept through the undergrowth as she pursued a squirrel that was perched on a beech tree, nimbling a nut that had fallen from its branches. The little animal was too engrossed in its meal to notice her stalking it. Hopefully, hunting would take her mind off of Ashfur's death and the secret about her and her littermates. Suddenly, a gray streak collided into her, knocking her to the ground. The sound of her paws skidding across the fallen leaves startled the squirrel, and it bolted up the trunk of nearby tree. _Mousedung! _At first Hollyleaf thought the cat who had tackled her was Cinderheart, but soon she realized it was Ashfur. The black warrior released a sigh of annoyance. Would he ever leave her alone? What did he want now.

Ashfur got off of her and beckoned with his flecked tail for the sable-furred she-cat to follow him. Hollyleaf could tell that he wanted something. Subsequently, he raced off into the bracken. She followed him into a small, grassy clearing that was located just outside ThunderClan's camp. The two cats sat down on the grass, Ashfur's blue eyes shining with excitement.

''I know how to right the wrongs and get into the StarClan!'' he exclaimed. Hollyleaf recoiled and flattened her ears a bit at his loud yowl, but she nodded her head for Ashfur to continue.

''All he have to do is tell the truth,'' he meowed.

''What truth?'' the black she-cat asked.

''Leafpool is your mother, and you killed me!'' Ashfur responded. Hollyleaf was so shocked by his revelation that she temporarily lost the ability to speak. Where in StarClan's name did Ashfur get this information?

''Wait,'' Hollyleaf meowed. ''Leafpool, as in ThunderClan's _medicine cat_?''

''That's correct,'' Ashfur replied. ''Leafpool once got pregnant with a tom's kits and I guess that's what happened.''

''Oh,'' as all Hollyleaf could manage to say. On the inside, she was in a state of pure disbelief. She was the daughter of a medicine cat, which was forbidden by the warrior code. She, along with Lionblaze and Jayfeather weren't supposed to exist. How could she live like this? Hollyleaf wanted to stand up and run away from Ashfur and the rest of ThunderClan, but she resisted the feeling by sinking her claws into the earth.

But deep inside, Hollyleaf wanted to flee. Leafpool couldn't be her mother. It was impossible. She was a nice cat who always cared about her and her brothers, but the idea of being related to a medicine cat filled Hollyleaf with disgust. She wanted to escape the lies, and the taste of Ashfur's blood that seemed to be engraved in her mouth.

_My faith in the warrior code was nothing but futile! I should've never been born… _Suddenly, Hollyleaf stood up and her black paws quivered with the urge to run away. Without hesitation, she raced out of the clearing where she and Ashfur were and into the forest. She wanted to get as far away from Ashfur as possible.

''Hollyleaf, wait!'' Ashfur cried as he tried to keep up with the hysteric she-cat. ''Come back! There are still things we need to talk about!''

Hollyleaf refused to stop running, for she wanted to be as far away from the gray-flecked tomcat as possible. She desperately wanted to be alone.

Ashfur halted to regain his breath, his flanks heaving. Hollyleaf was too fast for him. He sat down gazing up at the late afternoon sky. A single brown leaf fluttered down from a bare branch, landing on his head. Ashfur shaked his head and the withered leaf fluttered to the ground. _How am I supposed to help a she-cat who is slowly losing every part of her sanity? _he wondered.

As Ashfur sat alone in the forest, he wondered if he should go after Hollyleaf. _No, _he told himself. _It's best to leave her alone right now, given the mental state she's currently in_. He padded through the woods until he could hear the sound of lapping water in his ears, and the gray tomcat found himself at the lakeshore. _It looks like trying to be Hollyleaf's moral compass would be a lot harder than I thought it would be._

Suddenly, a sour odor entered Ashfur's nostrils, wreathing around him. He immediately recognized the scent as fish, the main diet of RiverClan. In the distance, the tom spotted a feline-shaped figure. Their dark tabby coat was outlined by the bright orange glow the setting sun left on the water. A pair of ice-blue eyes gazed intently into Ashfur's identical blue ones. He thought they were a StarClan cat, but Ashfur quickly noticed the shadows that swirled around them.

The cat walked closer towards him, and he immediately recognized the dark tabby as Hawkfrost. The RiverClan tom sat in front of him, his blue eyes boring into Ashfur. _Well Ashfur, _he meowed. _It seems like your little redemption quest has been a complete flop so far. Any cat who believes that an insane she-cat can be ''saved'' obviously has bees in their brain. _Hawkfrost's voice had a snide tone to it, filling Ashfur with anger.

''I'm doing the right thing!'' he retorted. Gritting his teeth in anger, Ashfur reared up on his hind paws and hit Hawkfrost over the head with his forepaw, knocking him to the ground. While his opponent was stunned, he bounded on top of him, pinning the dark tabby to the ground.

Hawkfrost smirked as he watched Ashfur pin him to ground. _Why are you getting angry at me? _he asked coolly. _I've helped you so much throughout your life Ashfur. I could've helped you get the she-cat of your dreams, but of course that never came true, because my half-brother had to kill me. _

''Shut up!'' Ashfur screeched. He unsheathed his claws and raked them down his left shoulder. Hawkfrost winced in pain and glared at him with anger in his blue eyes. He couldn't believe the cat he had helped was turning against him. _You piece of foxdung… _Hawkfrost growled. Suddenly, Ashfur yowled in pain as he felt Hawkfrost's back claws slash his abdomen, forcing him to release his grip on his target.

_What has gotten into you? _Hawkfrost demanded. _You're acting just like the cat who killed you. Hollyleaf is insane and foolish, and you're mirroring her perfectly. _Ashfur wanted to attack him, but realized the the effort would be futile. A metallic odor entered his nostrils, and he looked down to see blood staining the gray fur on his belly. _It's no use, _Ashfur thought. _I'm bleeding heavily. I don't want to injure myself even more._

_You put up a good fight, Ashfur, _Hawkfrost said as he padded over to him. His left shoulder has a large red patch on it which was from Ashfur scratching him. _We will meet again. _The dark brown tabby subsequently faded into shadows, leaving a trail of dark matter as he vanished.

_I need to rest,_ Ashfur though as he looked up at the night sky. _It's getting late. _He left the lakeshore where he and Hawkfrost were fighting and padded into the forest. He chose to sleep in the shelter of a hazel bush, and the gray tomcat groomed his bloody abdomen before laying down on the grass and going to sleep.

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><p><strong>Holy crap, this story now has over 10,000 words! This is the biggest story I've ever written and posted on here, and I'm very proud of it. <strong>

**Yes, there will be some action scenes, but they aren't major. Ashfur's Redemption is largely dialogue-driven with very little action.**


	7. Chapter Seven: A Lion in The Shadows

**Here's the first Lionblaze chapter. Besides Ashfur and Hollyleaf, him and Jayfeather will get chapters from their viewpoints as well.**

**Birdflame- Ashfur can be injured, like he was in the previous chapter, but it is uncertain if he can die.**

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><p><span><strong>Chapter Seven: A Lion in The Shadows<strong>

The forest was eerily silent forest. It was pitch-dark, the only thing giving off light was fungi that grew around the roots of trees. They gave off a sickly, pale glow. There was no moon or stars that glimmered overhead with their whitish-silver light, for the black sky was obscured by the bare branches of towering trees. In a clearing, a golden tomcat faced a massive dark tabby that was perched atop a huge rock.

''So you have come Lionblaze,'' he meowed, his amber eyes shining radiantly in the thick darkness. ''Show me that power that prophecy has given you!'' The dark brown tabby bounded off the rock he was sitting on and lunged towards Lionblaze. The golden warrior evaded the assault by running in the opposite direction of his assailant. Tigerstar landed on the ground where he target was. ''Coward!'' he spat. ''Is that all you've got?'' However, for some reason, Tigerstar's claws were sheathed- why? Did he want Lionblaze to attack him?

_Does he know who my real parents are? _''I'm not here to fight!'' Lionblaze declared. Tigerstar simply looked at him with expressionless eyes. ''That's surprising,'' he meowed. ''Shouldn't you _want_ to fight? After all, that prophecy says you can't be defeated in battle.'' His amber eyes bore into the younger tom. Lionblaze felt a chill of anxiety enter his spine as he realized how close Tigerstar was to him. The former ShadowClan leader was quite menacing, with his battle-scarred coat, muscular frame, and glowing eyes.

''I'm not in the prophecy anymore,'' Lionblaze said. Tigerstar's eyes widened in disbelief at his words. To his surprise, the dark tabby relaxed and sat down in front of him. ''And why is that?'' he inquired.

''I'm not Firestar's kin,'' Lionblaze replied. ''Why are you still training me? Brambleclaw is not my father, you're not my kin!'' Tigerstar blinked, but he showed no hint of shock. His yellow eyes narrowed, and he seemed to be waiting for Lionblaze to say more.

''You...you knew!'' Lionblaze exclaimed, his voice shrill with astonishment. The leafless trees of the Place of No Stars seemed to spin around him. _Squirrelflight wasn't the only cat who kept secrets! _

''Of course I knew,'' Tigerstar meowed. ''but it isn't important. You were willing to learn from me, right?'' Subsequently, he unsheathed his claws and charged at Lionblaze. The golden tomcat dodged his attacker again, landing near a cluster of bracken.

''But-'' Lionblaze began, only to be cut off by Tigerstar.

''Blood isn't everything,'' he snarled. The large tabby's lip curled, showing a hint of sharp fangs. They glinted eerily in the darkness. ''Just ask Firestar.''

The fur on Lionblaze's neck began to bristle as anger coursed through him like water in a stream. ''Firestar's a finer warrior than you ever were.'' he retorted.

''Don't forget you're not his kin anymore,'' Tigerstar responded with a hint of scorn in his voice. ''There's no point in defending him now.''

Tigerstar simply twitched one ear. ''So?''

Rage and aggravation overwhelmed Lionblaze. Leaping into the air, he threw himself at Tigerstar and tried to topple him to the ground. He battered at the former ShadowClan leader's head and bulky shoulders, his claws unsheathed, tearing out huge clumps of dark brown tabby fur. But the crimson haze of anger that filled his mind made Lionblaze clumsy and unfocused. His attacks landed at random, barely grazing Tigerstar's skin.

Suddenly, the bracken quivered and another dark tabby appeared. They bore a striking resemblance to Tigerstar, except their chest and underbelly were white and their eyes were ice-blue. They glowed with a cold, piercing light. They had a large gash of dried blood on their shoulder that was a scar from fighting. Tigerstar whirled around to face the newcomer. ''Hawkfrost!'' he exclaimed. ''What are you doing here?''

''Relax father,'' Hawkfrost meowed coolly as he approached the two tomcats. ''I'm just here to give Lionblaze his lesson. It's been awhile since I've trained him.'' Tigerstar glared at his son, angry that he had interrupted him. He then lunged at Lionblaze, knocking him to the ground. The golden tom struggled under Hawkfrost's weight, his hind paws battering weakly at his flanks.

''You're fighting like a kittypet!' Hawfrost taunted. ''Come on Lionblaze, you can do better than this!'' Suddenly, Lionblaze went limp under the RiverClan tom's paws. Noticing that his opponent wasn't moving, Hawkfrost made the mistake of loosening his grip.

That was when Lionblaze jumped upward with a fierce yowl, tackling his opponent and pinning them to the ground. Hawkfrost was too stunned with surprise to react. Lionblaze unsheathed his claws and raked them across the dark tabby's belly, making him cry out in pain and frustration. Hawkfrost gritted his teeth in anger and glared at Lionblaze with furious blue eyes. The RiverClan tom staggered up, his bleeding flanks heaving as he regained his posture.

''So this is the power that prophecy gave you,'' he muttered. ''It's incredible.'' Tigerstar watched the two battling tomcats with a look of pleasure in his amber eyes. Hawkfrost raked his claws down Lionblaze's side, causing him to wince. The golden warrior countered the attack by whirling around raking his claws down Hawkfrost's right shoulder which made flop down in exhaustion.

Lionblaze stood proudly in the clearing with a gleam of triumph in his eyes. He had beaten Hawkfrost! Tigerstar would be very proud of him. The dark tabby padded up to him. ''Excellent work Lionblaze,'' he meowed. ''It's good to see that you've still got some fight in you.'' He glanced at Hawkfrost, who was panting heavily while laying on the ground. ''You fought well, my son,'' he said. ''Rest, your body needs it.''

Then the dark forest faded into shadows. When Lionblaze awoke, he found himself in his nest. Warm, golden rays from the sun pierced the roof of the warrior's den, and Lionblaze flinched as they landed on his head. It was morning. Suddenly, a metallic odor entered his nostrils, and the golden tomcat noticed that his side was bleeding from the battle with Hawkfrost. He quickly turned around to clean up the blood that stained his golden fur. _I hope no one saw that! _

When the gash was clean, Lionblaze exited the warrior's den and padded out into the clearing. When he entered the clearing, he was surprised that were a lot of cats. In the distance, he could see Firestar on the highledge. He wondered what was happening. He walked up to his brother Jayfeather and sat down beside him.

''What's going on?'' Lionblaze asked when he reached the blind medicine cat. His sightless eyes were fixed on the tortoiseshell cat that sitting in front of the highledge with Graystripe , Birchfall, and Brightheart next to him. They sat calmly in front of ThunderClan with blank golden eyes.

''Firestar's called the Clan together for a meeting,'' he murmured.

''Cats of ThunderClan!'' Firestar meowed, his orange coat resembling a brand of fire in the sunlight. ''We have successfully captured Sol. He is currently a prisoner of ours and he is not allowed to leave our territory.''

The cats in the clearing glanced at the prisoner and whispered among each other. Sol watched the cats in the clearing intently, as if he was awaiting something. Lionblaze spotted Hollyleaf sitting next to Cinderheart, who gazed at Sol with anxious green eyes. Her black neck fur was bristling and her tail twitched with apprehension. The black she-cat then quickly dashed into the warrior's den. Was she afraid of Sol?

''Make him confess!'' Thornclaw yowled. ''He _knows _that he killed Ashfur, he just doesn't want to spit it out!'' The cats continued their discordant murmurs with Sol's emotionless golden eyes trained on them.

''Are we _really _sure that Sol killed Ashfur? Sorreltail asked. ''It might have been a rogue.''

''It was definitely a WindClan cat,'' Berrynose meowed. ''His body was found on their border.'' The whispering soon grew out of control and Firestar raised his tail to silence the cats.

''That is enough,'' he declared. ''Bickering like kits will get us nowhere. Right now, Sol is currently innocent. We do not know if he is guilty or not.'' Firestar waved his ginger tail, signifying that the meeting was over.

When Lionblaze walked towards the gorse tunnel, he was surprised to see Jayfeather following him. The two toms padded through the tunnel until they found themselves in the forest. They sat down beside the roots of a birch tree.

''Our lives are a complete mess right now,'' Lionblaze meowed.

''I know,'' Jayfeather replied. ''But it will get better, someday.''

Sorrow entered Lionblaze's eyes. ''I hope so,'' he muttered.

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><p><strong>This is the last chapter of Ashfur's Redemption for 2014. I'll be going away for a couple of days for New Year's Eve, so I won't be able to update any of my stories. So yeah, I'm kind of going on a little break until somewhere in January. Bye for now, until 2015 that is.<strong>


	8. Chapter Eight: Ashfur and Jayfeather

**Happy 2015 everyone! With a new year, comes a new chapter of Ashfur's Redemption. **

**I'm finally back from North Carolina. It was very long road trip- it lasted for 13 hours!**

**Anyway, in this chapter Ashfur will meet Jayfeather for the first time after the fire.**

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><p><span><strong>Chapter Eight: Ashfur and Jayfeather<strong>

Ashfur moaned in pain as he woke up the next morning. The gray fur on his belly was matted with blood. It's metallic aroma flooded his nostrils. He winced as he rose to his paws, the wound from his fight with Hawkfrost had not fully healed yet. The tom sat down to clean the bloody wound. Ashfur looked around the forest frantically, hoping that no one saw his injury. _Hawkfrost sure wounded me good, _he thought. _It looks like it's going to be there for a long time._

He slowly stood up, his body aching with pain. The gray tom looked at his wound again. It looked like it needed attention from a medicine cat. Ashfur laid down on the grass and went back to sleep.

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><p>Jayfeather watched as Leafpool gathered a bundle of borage leaves to bring to Daisy. As Jayfeather watched his mentor, he noticed that she thinking deeply about something. Her amber eyes had a strange expression that the blind tom couldn't read. Who or what was Leafpool thinking about?<p>

''Is something wrong?'' Jayfeather asked his mentor. Leafpool's ears pricked up in alarm, and she turned her head to look at her apprentice. She was about to pick up the borage leaves to deliver to Daisy, but stopped.

''N-no! T-there's nothing wrong!'' she stammered, her eyes wide and tail tip twitching nervously. Jayfeather gazed at Leafpool with a skeptical look in his blind eyes. Was she hiding something from him? She suddenly stood up and started to gently nudge Jayfeather as a signal for him to leave the medicine den. He quickly grabbed the leaf bundle and hurried out of the den.

_Leafpool sure seems worried about something. _Jayfeather thought as he padded towards the nursery. _I wonder what it is. _He suddenly heard his brother greeting him.

''Good morning J-'' Lionblaze said before he noticed that his brother was carrying the herbal bundle in his mouth. ''Oh, I see,'' he meowed. ''You're busy right now, doing medicine cat stuff. I'll talk to you later then.'' The golden tom subsequently walked away to join the border patrol which consisted of Graystripe, Birchfall, and Poppyfrost.

Ferncloud awoke as she heard Jayfeather pawsteps as he entered the nursery. She slowly sat up, her green eyes clouded with sleep. Millie lay fast asleep with her three kits playfully tussling with each other while Daisy watched her two young kits knead her belly for milk.

''Good morning Jayfeather,'' Ferncloud meowed. ''How are you this morning?'' She looked at the cluster of borage leaves that Jayfeather was carrying. ''I see you brought some borage for Daisy.'' Her gaze turned to a long-haired queen who was stretching her back and legs while laying down in her nest.

Jayfeather set the bundle of leaves beside Daisy and proceeded to chew them into a mushy pulp for her to consume.

''Thank you Jayfeather,'' Daisy meowed, as he spat out the green herbal pulp onto the leaf it was bound in. ''It's good to see that a tom cares about my kits.''

Jayfeather tilted his head in confusion. ''What?'' he meowed.

''I'll explain,'' Ferncloud meowed. Millie slowly opened her blue eyes and rose to stretch her body.

''The father of Toadkit and Rosekit is Spiderleg,'' she continued. ''Daisy gave birth his kits, but he didn't like them. So he avoided her and their kits. He hasn't talked to them ever since.''

Jayfeather was silent for several heartbeats. Was that how his father felt towards him and his siblings? Did he avoid them because he disliked them? ''But hasn't Daisy raised kits on her own before?'' he asked.

''This time, it's different,'' Daisy said. ''Whereas I knew Smoky for a long time, I know very little to nothing about Spiderleg.''

The blind medicine cat was starting to feel uncomfortable with the current topic being about fathers, so he turned around and exited the nursery. _I sure felt uncomfortable back there. _The moment of anxiety baffled him, why did he get so nervous all of a sudden? He decided not to think about his supposed father again. In the distance, he saw four cats walking emerging from the gorse tunnel that led into the camp.

The group was comprised of Lionblaze, Graystripe, Birchfall, and Poppyfrost. The golden tom led them into the camp. They disposed of their prey in the fresh-kill pile. When Lionblaze left his kill in the pile, he walked towards his brother.

''Do you know where Hollyleaf is?'' he asked. ''I haven't seen her all morning.'' Speaking of his sister, where was she? Jayfeather scanned the bustling camp for his sister, but she was nowhere to be seen.

''Maybe she's out hunting with Cinderheart,'' Jayfeather suggested. ''Who knows? She'll probably be back soon.''

Lionblaze's fluffy tail twitched with worry. ''I hope so,'' he muttered.

''I'll go see Leafpool,'' the blind medicine cat declared. ''I'll ask her if we need to restock some herbs.'' He then left his brother and padded towards the medicine cat's den.

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><p>Ashfur slowly rose to his paws, his eyes hazy with slumber. He felt a lot better now that he was fully rested. His wound from the fight with Hawkfrost was still bloody, but the pain seemed to have subsided. Suddenly, a delightful odor entered his nostrils and wreathed around him. The scent was soothing to Ashfur, and he felt at ease.<p>

He saw a feline-shaped figure materializing before him, their body glimmering with stardust. They had a tortoiseshell coat and two amber eyes that gazed back at Ashfur. In their mouth was the carcass of little, furry animal.

They padded over to him and dropped the tiny dead body by his gray paws.

''I thought you would be hungry,'' Spottedleaf meowed. ''Come on, eat up.'' He crouched down and took bites of the mouse's body, consuming it warm, juicy flesh. When the gray tom finished his meal, he stood up and licked his lips.

''Thanks for the fresh-kill Spottedleaf,'' Ashfur meowed as he sat down to face her.

''How have you been Ashfur?'' the tortoiseshell she-cat asked.

''I'm doing well,'' he replied. ''I'm trying to be Hollyleaf's moral compass. It's a little difficult, but I'm trying my best.''

''That's good to hear,'' Spottedleaf meowed. ''Hollyleaf is a young cat. She needs all the guidance she can get in her life.''

''Shouldn't you be helping her too?'' he queried. ''You're a medicine cat, after all.''

''Hollyleaf and I walk different paths,'' she answered. ''She walks the path of a warrior, while I walk the path of a medicine cat.''

Ashfur was starting to get annoyed. Why was Spottedleaf being so apathetic towards Hollyleaf? ''That's a pathetic excuse,'' he retorted. ''You should _know _to help other cats, even if they don't have the same lifestyle as you.''

Spottedleaf's eyes widened and the fur on her back began to bristle. ''_What?_'' she snapped. ''I am _far _from being so-called apathetic!''

He simply stared at her with bewildered blue eyes. Spottedleaf was often known for her calm, quiet personality, she rarely got angry. Her tortoiseshell coat was flat again, but she seemed to be glaring at Ashfur right now.

''I accidently spoke my mind,'' he murmured. ''Sorry.''

''I understand,'' she replied. ''Young cats can get a little grouchy sometimes.'' Spottedleaf's body subsequently turned into stardust, and she vanished from the living world.

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><p>Jayfeather walked through the forest. Dead, withered leaves crunched under his paws. Leafpool has told him that they were running low on marigold, and that they needed more. A cool breeze ruffled his gray tabby coat, making him grimace.<p>

As he walked further on, he saw a cat laying down near a hazel bush. At first he thought that the strange cat who was laying down was a passing loner, but it took the gray-flecked coat for him to realize that the cat was Ashfur.

That was odd. The blind medicine cat must have been imagining things. Why was he seeing Ashfur? He couldn't believe his eyes. Jayfeather remembered the time when the gray warrior was following Hollyleaf into the woods and his ghostly figure passed directly through him. It was one of the most bizarre moments in his life apart from meeting Rock's spirit in the tunnels.

He walked over towards Ashfur and sat down beside him. ''Are you okay?'' the tabby tomcat asked.

Ashfur looked and saw Jayfeather sitting in front of him. His sightless eyes bore into his blue ones. It was strange seeing him after he has trapped him and his littermates in ThunderClan's camp during a vicious storm and threatened to burn them alive. Ashfur's blue eyes were vivid with insanity, but here they were placid and contained a hint of surprise.

He laid down on his side, revealing a bloody gash that was slowly healing. Jayfeather sniffed the wound.

''How did you get this wound?'' he asked.

''I got in a fight with a rogue cat,'' Ashfur replied, although Jayfeather probably that he was lying. The blind tom said nothing and began to lick his wound to clean it. ''It might need some herbs to stop infection,'' Jayfeather murmured as he moved his tongue over the injured flesh. ''I'll find some herbs to stop infection, and cobwebs to stop the bleeding.'' He then walked away to find what was needed for Ashfur's wound.

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><p>Jayfeather walked through the forest in search of herbs. It didn't help that it was late in leaf-bare, and there were very little growing plants left. To his luck, he found several marigold plants growing in a grassy patch. Jayfeather carefully nipped at their stems and picked them up. <em>I wonder if Leafpool will mind that I used some of the marigold for Ashfur.<em> he thought.

He sat down in front of Ashfur and began to chew some of the marigold into a mushy pulp to apply to the gray tom's wound. He rubbed it into the injured flesh, and Ashfur sighed in relief as the herbal concoction was applied to his skin.

''How long have you had this injury?'' Jayfeather asked.

''I believe for a couple of days,'' he answered. ''Thank you for treating it.''

''You're welcome,'' the blind tomcat replied. It was strange seeing Ashfur like this after he had tried to burn him and his littermates alive. However, up until insanity seized him, he was known for quiet, reserved personality. Jayfeather then walked away to find some cobwebs so the herbal mesh would stay in place.

_This is so odd. _he thought. _Did StarClan want me to meet Ashfur? I don't know, just what it going on here?_ The tabby tom found some cobwebs on the roots of a beech tree and grabbed them with his teeth. When he returned, he tightly wrapped the bundle around Ashfur's flanks so the herbal pulp would stay in place.

''There,'' Jayfeather meowed. ''All patched up.''

''Thanks for taking care of me,'' Ashfur said. ''I highly appreciate it.''

The blind medicine cat blinked. ''Thanks..I guess. I need to get back to camp, Leafpool's probably wondering where I am.'' He picked up the cluster of marigold he had harvested and hurried off towards ThunderClan's camp.

Ashfur watched him leave with a cheerful look in his cerulean eyes. He was slowly reconciling with the Three. It would take a while, but he was slowly getting there.

He also realized it was getting late and that he needed a place to sleep for the night. Thinking about the countless old rabbit holes on the WindClan border, he raced off towards there. When Ashfur found a suitable hole, he curled up in it and closed his eyes. Things were slowly getting back on the right track.

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><p><strong>Dang, this is the longest chapter that I've ever written for a story, and they usually don't go up beyond 2,000. That's kind of a record for me.<strong>

**It seems that Ashfur and Jayfeather are slowly getting along with each other, aren't they?**

**All of the first seven chapters of Ashfur's Redemption are completely revised. **

**Don't forget to leave a review. Your feedback is very important to me.**


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